Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir 2023

Newton Johnson sits in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, the highest and most inland of the three appellations in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley of Walker Bay on South Africa's Cape South Coast. Dave Newton, a Cape Wine Master who wrote his thesis on Pinot Noir, founded the estate in 1995, and it is now run by his son Gordon. The Ridge is a cool growing area, cooled by sea air off Walker Bay and by altitude, with clay rich, weathered soils that hold water through the dry summer. Those conditions give slow, even ripening that preserves the acidity, fine tannin and floral red fruit Pinot Noir depends on. The wine ages twelve months in French oak barrels, where gentle oxygen exchange rounds the tannins and adds a savoury, spiced frame while keeping the fruit clear. It pours a bright translucent ruby. The nose shows red cherry, raspberry and a hint of rose, with an earthy, peppery undertone that reflects the cool site. The palate is medium bodied, fresh and silky, with fine grained tannins and a long, savoury finish. Serve lightly cool at 14 to 16 degrees with duck, roast chicken or mushrooms.